I have been single for the longest time now, and the time I was in a relationship, cameras weren't that popular as it is today. So, for the first week of With Love Wednesday, I think I failed. =(

But here's a picture depicting love... me with a bouquet of roses my online friend Stephen sent for me. Ours was a weird kind of story - having to meet online via Multiply. I admit I was instantly attracted to him - he was a very good looking American man, with a wit to boast, too! I started making friends with him in 2005, and although he was a very friendly man, he wasn't really attracted to me as he has his own standards. Still, we remained good friends, chatting everyday about technology, life, and family.

Something happened in 2006 - I guess cultural differences affected the friendship and he got angry at me, which ended the friendship. In 2008, I received an e-mail from him - a forwarded kind of e-mail, asking everyone not to add this so kind of person, blah blah... I replied to it, and it opened our friendship again. Over the course of our everyday chats, the tables have turned - he was more into me than I was to him.

Early 2009, he sent me a bouquet of roses. He just said he had a surprise for me, and it came by the box - something he ordered via the Internet. At age 28, it was the very first time I received flowers. It was very touching, and very sweet on his part. Sadly, our budding relationship has gone awry right before it started because none of us were willing to go beyond our way to be together. I don't want to go to Florida to live with him, and he didn't want to leave his place, too. It started another string of differences, until we decided it's better to just remain friends, even though we know deep in our hearts we care a lot for each other.

I will always be thankful to him for his love... and aside from the pictures taken, I also took a petal from each of the roses he sent, and kept it in my box - something to reminisce about.

*** Jenn ***